Box Score Game-Tying Goal in Second Half Overturned; Mullins Finishes with Career-High 10 Saves
NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Locked in a defensive struggle with Columbia Saturday afternoon at Wien Stadium, the Yale women's lacrosse team appeared to have tied the game 3-3 on a goal by sophomore attacker Hope Hanley with 21:04 left in the second half. But Columbia called for a stick check, the stick was ruled illegal, the goal was removed and the Lions were awarded possession -- a possession that they turned into a goal. That stretch proved critical, as Columbia would go on to hold off Yale for a 5-3 win.
"We had tied the game on a great shot by Hope," said Anne Phillips, Yale's Joel E. Smilow, Class of 1954 Head Coach of Women's Lacrosse. "But they ruled the stick illegal, and then Columbia went down and scored. That was a huge momentum shift, and we never recovered."
The loss overshadowed another stellar effort by the Yale defense -- led by a career-high 10 saves from senior goalkeeper Erin Mullins, who leads the Ivy League in saves with 61 for the season. Columbia had scored 17 goals its last time out (a 17-10 win at LIU Brooklyn), but the Bulldogs quelled that momentum early. They kept the Lions off the scoreboard for the first 18:53, highlighted by six saves from Mullins in that span.
But Yale (4-5, 1-2 Ivy League) also struggled to mount any offense, getting just one shot on goal and no goals in that same period. Columbia (2-5, 1-2 Ivy League) finally solved Mullins when attacker Victoria Kalamaras set up attacker Sarah Greenberg for a goal at 11:07. Shortly after that a charging call against the Bulldogs during a clear attempt resulted in a turnover that enabled Columbia to catch Yale in transition for another goal, this one by midfielder/defender Sara Ruzzi, to go ahead 2-0 at 8:43.
After senior midfielder Christina Doherty got the ensuing draw control, junior attacker Nicole Daniggelis got Yale on the scoreboard less than a minute after Ruzzi's goal. But the Bulldogs would not score again for the half, and Columbia tacked on another goal by Ruzzi at 2:02. Mullins then made a big save on midfielder Jessie Ambrose right before halftime, keeping the score 3-1 Columbia at the break.
"Erin Mullins had the game of her life," said Phillips. "We just couldn't support it."
The Bulldogs crept closer with a goal from senior midfielder Cathryn Avallone, assisted by Daniggelis, at 29:02 of the second. They then appeared to have tied the goal when senior attacker Erin Magnuson utilized a free position attempt to set up Hanley for a goal at 21:04. But the stick check resulted in Hanley's goal being disallowed, and Columbia then took advantage of the next possession to go ahead 4-2 on a goal by defender Caroline Joy assisted by Kalamaras.
Lions midfielder Taylor Quinn drove in through a trio of Yale defenders to bounce in another goal at 19:30, giving Columbia a 5-2 edge. Quinn had entered the day leading the Lions in goals and points (16-3-19), but that would be the lone tally of the day for her against the Bulldogs.
Yale then had multiple opportunities to get within 5-3, but had one possession in the Columbia zone end with a wide shot with no backup, then two others end with turnovers, and another that ended with a save by Columbia keeper Kelsey Gedin on a free position attempt with 11:40 left in the game.
With 9:53 left Columbia got a free position attempt but sent the shot wide, and sophomore defender Emily Markham hustled into position to be awarded the ball as the shot went out of bounds. But once again, the Bulldogs turned the ball over with a chance to cut into the lead. Columbia went back on attack and milked the clock until a bad pass enabled sophomore defender Victoria Moore to come up with a ground ball in Yale's end.
The Bulldogs called timeout with 8:04 to play, but once again could not come up with a goal. After a free position shot sailed wide, Columbia had a player close enough to the ball as it went out of bounds to regain possession. The Lions cleared the ball and set up in Yale's zone with six minutes remaining.
Junior defender Kate Walker then caused a turnover by forcing a Columbia pass out of bounds with five minutes left. After senior attacker Kerri Fleishhacker sent a shot wide with 3:55 remaining, the Bulldogs maintained possession and called another timeout. Right after that, Avallone fired in a low shot to finally break up the scoreless streak (25:22 without a goal) and get the Bulldogs within 5-3 with 3:40 to play.
A violation by the Lions gave Doherty the next draw control. Gedin made a save on a low shot by Magnuson, but Doherty got the ground ball -- she and Daniggelis finished with a team-high four each. With 1:47 to play a foul on Columbia gave Fleishhacker a chance to drive in for a shot, but Gedin stopped her high attempt. The Lions then cleared the ball and ran out the final seconds of the clock with possession in the Yale end. The Columbia bench poured out onto the field after time expired to celebrate the team's first win over Yale since 2011.
This was the seventh time in the last two seasons that Yale has lost a game by three or fewer goals. The Bulldogs are now tied for fifth in the Ivy League standings with the Lions, one-half game behind fourth-place Harvard.
"We have to give Columbia credit," said Phillips. "They played hard for 60 minutes. We just shot poorly (3-for-16), including 0-for-6 on free position attempts. That alone would have been a difference-maker."
Yale, which has played three road games in eight days, returns to action Wednesday vs. BU at Reese Stadium at 4:00 p.m.
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